Description
The 7:84 Theatre Company (Scotland) was founded by the prolific playwright John McGrath, his wife, Elizabeth MacLennan, and her brother David. Their first production was “The Cheviot, the Stag and The Black, Black Oil”. First performed in Edinburgh on March 31st 1973 in a production directed by John McGrath himself, BBC Television aired this production on June 6th 1974.
Questioning who has the right to exploit the Highlands of Scotland, McGrath pulled no punches with his explicit depiction of Highlanders being stripped of the plaid, the banning of the Gaelic language and the cruel and infamous clearances. The Victorians and their obsession with stag hunting are mocked by the cutting humour of a parody of “The Bold Gendarmes” performed to the joy of the audience by Elizabeth MacLennan and John Bett. Bill Paterson engages well with the audience, playing a number of dubious characters; Allan Ross treats us to some fine fiddling; and Alex Norton plays guitar and throws in a humorous interlude with a glass in his hand.
The “ceilidh play”, as McGrath styled it, is presented by director John Mackenzie to a live audience intercut with filmed reconstructions of the violent eviction of crofters in favour of sheep, and the hunting of stags. Dolina MacLennan keeps the beauty of Gaelic song alive throughout the performance.
